The World

Britain recalled two of its envoys from Iran in the latest move in the escalating diplomatic dispute between the two countries. The two visa officers were recalled because they had little work to do, a Foreign Office spokesman said. The move came as Britain prepared to retaliate for the expulsion of nine of its diplomats from Tehran. The dispute began when an Iranian consular official was arrested by British police May 9 on shoplifting charges. Three weeks later, Britain's second-ranking diplomat in Tehran was beaten and detained for 24 hours by Iranian Revolutionary Guards.